Press
CUNA Lending Council White Paper Discusses Pros and Cons of Re-launching a Credit Card Program
Jenny Jackson
CUNA Councils
(608) 231-4102
jjackson@cuna.coop
Madison, Wis. — Over the past decade, many credit unions chose to sell their credit card portfolios, primarily to reduce credit and fraud risk, to boost revenue from a premium on the sale, and to add liquidity. But economic times have changed. On the recovery side of a major recession, with the current environment characterized by relatively low demand for loans and tight interest margins, credit unions are revisiting their role in offering credit cards to members.
As credit unions weigh their options to either maintain their relationships with other card providers or to launch their own products, they must consider their competitive position, operational and compliance challenges, the potential market among younger “net borrowers,” and the costs and return on rewards programs. Careful and comprehensive business planning is a must.
In the latest white paper from the CUNA Lending Council, “Back in Business: The Pros and Cons of Re-Launching Credit Card Programs and Other Options to Boost Card Revenue,” both sides of this issue are explored. The paper presents key questions credit unions should consider in deciding whether and how to offer credit cards and features several real-life examples from credit unions that have landed on both sides of this issue.
CUNA Council members are eligible to receive complimentary copies of this, and nearly 300 other white papers; non-Council members may purchase white papers for $50 per copy. The paper is available online in the white paper section of www.cunacouncils.org.
Press can contact Jenny Jackson at jjackson@cuna.coop for a copy of the whitepaper.
CUNA Lending Council
The CUNA Lending Council is the premier source of best practices information for lending professionals in the credit union industry. Guided by a self-directed and self-governed community of more than 1,000 industry lending professionals, the council provides networking support, education, current information, and professional development tools for its members. The CUNA Lending Council is one of the six organizations that make up the CUNA Councils, a network of more than 5,300 credit union professionals. For more information, visit www.cunalendingcouncil.org or www.cunacouncils.org.